Dispensing cap for collapsible tubes



June 21, 1966 A. R. KASSON 3,257,046

DISPENSING CAP FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES Filed Sept. 28, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIGURE 2 FIGURE 3 I NVENTOR.

BY ALLEN R. KASSON JAME: Pam. 03'uulvAu HIS ATTORNEY June 21, 1966 sso 3,257,046

DISPENSING CAP FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES Filed Sept. 28, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIGURE 4 IINVENTOR. ALLEN R. KASSON BY JAMES Pnuz. OlSuLuv/w HIS ATTORNEY United States Patent "ice 3,257,046 DISPENSING CAP FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES Allen R. Kasson, Bennington, Vt., assignor of twelve percent to James Paul OSullivan Filed Sept. 28, 1964, Ser. No. 399,611 7 Claims. (Cl. 222-490) This invention relates to dispensing caps primarily having utility for collapsible tubes of the common variety extensively utilized for the packaging of various paste-like materials, notably tooth paste.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved dispensing cap adapted for use in substitution for the cap closures customarily characterizing collapsible tubes.

Another object is to provide a cap operable in association with a paste-filled collapsible tube to extrude the paste in response to pressure applied to said tube and to close the container and protect the paste when such pressure is released.

Yet another object is to present an extremely inexpensive dispensing cap securely held in place without the aid of expensive neck-thread engaging means.

Still another object of the invention is to present a dispensing cap, the valve of which is designed not to heal closed after use thereof.

A further object is to present a dispensing cap having a dispensing valve which opens from the inside out rather than from the outside in and closes from the outside in rather than from the inside out.

Another object is to present a dispensing cap having a valve which tends to prevent post-pressure bleeding of the paste.

All of the foregoing and still further objects of the invention will be apparent from the following disclosure .taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing of which:

FIGURE 1 is a side view in section of one embodiment of the inventive dispensing cap.

FIGURE 2 is an end view showing the inside of the cap with the dispensing valve in expanded, dispensing position.

FIGURE 3 is another side view showing a preferred location for the dispensing valve.

FIGURE 4 is an end view showingvthe inside of a cap having a curved valve of type described herein.

The improved cap of the present invention is a hollow, generally-cylindrical body, open at one end and rounded closed at its opposite end. The rounded closed end at least approximates a cone or at least approximates a hemisphere. The cap has a uniform wall thickness and is formed of any-impermeable elastomer, i.e'. natural or synthetic rubber. Located in the closed end is a normally closed slit valve. The ends of said slit valve terminate along lines which are less than normal to the surfaces of said closed end. The object of this latter limitation is to provide a valve adapted to respond to the application of pressure within said cap by opening from the inside out and to respond to the cessation of internal pressure by closing from the outside in.

By way of definition, the phrase normal to the surfaces of the closed end refers to a line perpendicular to a tangent to the surfaces of the rounded closed end. To illustrate a slit valve, the ends of which terminate along lines which are normal to the surfaces of the closed end as opposed to less than normal to said surfaces, consider the following example. Take a rubber cap having a cylindrical body open at one end and rounded closed at the other so as to have a hemispheric end, said cap having a uniform wall thickness of about one sixteenth of an inch. If a slit valve is cut in the end of this cap with a doubleedged cutting instrument which is so designed that when its tip reaches the center point of the base of the hemi- 3,257,046 Patented June 21, 1966 sphere, the blades of the instrument and the ends of the valve will be normal to the inside and outside surfaces of the hemisphere, then this will describe a slit valve which is just outside of the limit of the present invention. This valve will respond to pressure from within the cap by opening simultaneously from the outside and inside and hence will not have the action yielding the objects of the present invention.

On the other hand, if the slit valve is cut so that the ends of the valve terminate along line just less than normal to the surfaces of the end of the cap then this will describe the outside limit of the invention as far as the valve is concerned. The phrase less than normal refers to a line on the valve side of normal. For example, in

FIGURE 1 the broken 'line 15 is normal to the inside and outside surface of the cap. Line 16 is the line along which one end of this valve terminates and it is obvious that this line is less than normal to the surfaces of the cap. For the purposes of this invention any line on the opposite or nonvalve side of normal line 15 is considered greater than normal. Thus, any valve terminating along normal line 15 and any line greater than normal is outside of the scope of this invention.

\Vhile the outside limit concerning the valve of the present invention is defined by valve ends terminating along lines which are less than normal, there is no need to define the inside limit. This is because, to be a valve there must be an inside and outside opening. Therefore, if the ends of the valve terminate along lines less than normal and there is a sensible outside opening, then the inside limit is defined.

Within the limits of the invention and depending upon the material to be dispensed through thevalve, some valve designs yield a better valve action than others.

A preferred cap of the present invention is especially well adapted for use in dispensing tooth paste or a material having the consistency of tooth paste. This cap, which is illustrated in the drawing, i defined by a hollow, generally cylindrical body, open at one end and rounded closed at the opposite end. Said body, including the closed end thereof, is of uniform wall thickness and is formed of an impermeable elastomer. Located in the closed end of the cap is a normally closed slit valve, said slit valve is longer on the inside surface of said closed end than on the outside surface of said closed end. Another definition of the preferred slit valve is that the are described by the slit on the inside surface of the closed end is longer than the are described by-the slit on the outside surface of said closed end.

Referring to the drawing, FIGURE 1 shows a vertical cross section of the dispensing cap 10 which comprises cylindrical body 11 having a rounded closed end 12. Located in the hemispheric end is a normally closed slit valve, having a longer inside valve opening 13 across the inside surface thereof than the outside va-lve opening 14 across the outside surface thereof.

FIGURE 2 shows the slit valve in its expanded dispensing position, as it would react to internal pressure while dispensing, for example, tooth paste. As can be seen, the inside valve opening, defined by lines 13, is larger in relation to outside valve opening 14. As the internal pres sure is relaxed, the valve closes from the outside in. This valve action effectively cuts ofi the extruded paste and pushes that portion of the paste which is between the lips or sides of the valve back into the body of the cap.

It will be noted that in the preferred embodiment of FIGURE 2 the slit valve is located slightly off center. This is to accommodate dispensing the paste onto the tooth brush. It can, of course, be in the center or any other location on the hemisphere. By locating the valve slightly olf center, the tooth paste tube and dispensing cap can be held more or less parallel to the tooth brush rather than at an angle thereto.

The preferred slit valve of the present invention can be formed in any manner which will result in a valve opening which is larger on the inside surface of the end of the cap than at the outside surfaces of the cap. The most convenient means of forming the preferred valve of the present invention is to cut the valve from the inside of the cap. Examples of suitable cutting instruments are those having a rounded, parabolic, wedge-shaped arrowhead-shaped, etc. blade. Thus, these are some of the blade designs which will cut a slit valve which has a larger inside opening than outsideopening.

As a cut is made with an instrument of this type, the ends of the valve, i.e. the lines connecting the inside surface cut with the outside surface cut, will assume the slope of the blade used. When the desired external extruding orifice is'obtained the cutting is stopped and the instrument is pushed back into the cap and removed, or the cap is taken off the blade.

Because of the smaller external opening as compared with the internal opening of the valve the valve will naturally open from the inside out and close from the outside in. In effect the walls of the valve increase in stiffness toward the outer end thereof. Thus, when the internal pressure relaxes the walls or lips of the valve progressively close from the outside in, forcing the paste between the walls of the valve back into the dispensing cap. Once the paste is wiped off the outside of the closed valve by the user, the valve construction prevents any post-pressure bleeding of a small amount of paste out of the valve.

It is also contemplated to impart a slight curve as shown in FIGURE 4 to the inside and outside opening of the valve. Originally the reason for curving the valve slightly was to accommodate a cartoon design printed on the end of the cap to enhance its sa eability. The cartoon character has a smiling mouth and the valve was cut at the mouth in a curve corresponding thereto. It was found, however, that the curve not only had a sphincterlike action but also a flapper valve action. This action tends to further insure a wiping action of the valve lips.

The dispensing cap can be made of a variety of materials so long as they have the common property of being rubber-like. They must be flexible, resilient and stretchable. These characteristics, plus the structure of the valve impart a distinct sphincter-like action to the opening and closing of the valve.

It is to be understood that the valve of the present invention is not limited to the dispensing of tooth paste, condiments, greases, icing, etc. may also be dispensed.

As is evident from the foregoing, the invention is not to be limited to the rather specific illustrative device.

Modifications and variations may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A dispensing cap of the character described cmprising a hollow, generally-cylindrical body, open at one end and convexly rounded closed at the opposite end; said cap being of uniform wall thickness and formed of an impermeable elastomer; located at the closed end is a normally closed slit valve, the ends of said slit valve terminating along lines which are less than normal to the surfaces of said closed end, said valve being thereby adapted to respond to the application of pressure within said cap by opening from the inside out and to respond to the cessation of internal pressure by closing from the outside in.

2. The dispensing cap of claim 1 wherein said rounded closed end is generally-hemispheric.

3. The dispensing cap of claim 1 wherein said slit valve is located off center.

4. A dispensing cap of the character described comprising a hollow, generally-cylindrical body, open at one end and convexly rounded closed at the opposite end; said body, including the closed end thereof, being of uniform wall thickness and formed of an impermeable elastomer; located in the closed end is a normally closed slit valve, said slit valve being longer on the inside surface of said closed end than on the outside surface of said closed end.

5. A dispensing cap of the character described comprising a hollow, generally-cylindrical body, open at one end having a generally-hemispheric convexly closed opposite end, said body, including the closed end thereof, being of uniform wall thickness and formed of an impermeable elastomer; located in the closed end is a normally closed slit valve, the are described by the slit on the inside surface of said closed end being longer than the are described by the slit on the outside surface of said closed end, said valve being thereby adapted to respond to the application of pressure within said cap by opening from the inside out and to respond to the cessation of internal pressure by closing from the outside in.

6. The dispensing cap of claim 5 wherein said slit valve is located oil? center. i

7. The dispensing cap of claim 5 wherein said slit valve is slightly curved.

References Cited by the Examiner ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner. 4

LOUIS J. DEMBO, M. HENSON WOOD, 111., A. KNOWLES, Assistant Examiners. 

1. A DISPENSING CAP OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED COMPRISING A HOLLOW, GENERALLY-CYLINDRICAL BODY, OPEN AT ONE END AND CONVEXLY ROUNDED CLOSED AT THE OPPOSITE END; SAID CAP BEING OF UNIFORM WALL THICKNESS AND FORMED OF AN IMPERMEABLE ELASTOMER; LOCATED AT THE CLOSED END IS A NORMALLY CLOSED SLIT VALVE, THE ENDS OF SAID SLIT VALVE TERMINATING ALONG LINES WHICH ARE LESS THAN NORMAL TO THE SURFACES OF SAID CLOSED END, SAID VALVE BEING THEREBY ADAPTED TO RESPOND TO THE APPLICATION OF PRESSURE WITHIN SAID CAP BY OPENING FROM THE INSIDE OUT AND TO RESPOND TO THE CESSATION OF INTERNAL PRESSURE BY CLOSING FROM THE OUTSIDE IN. 